Community Kids Clubs – Kenya

In 2010, WeSeeHope (formerly HopeHIV) pioneered a model for working with street children and other vulnerable children in 20 communities in eastern Kenya. Their model involved training up local people within the communities to be better able to cope with the difficult circumstances that arise when supporting the vulnerable. LiveTwice partnered with this work in 2012 to help make these important support networks self-sustainable. Through training and capacity building workshops the project aimed to make these community support systems independent, without the need of outside finance or supervision.

Due to the successes of this work, in early 2014, LiveTwice and WeSeeHope were able to begin replicating this model in new communities. LiveTwice Founder Liz Earle MBE was pleased to be able to visit this particular project in Kenya earlier this year; read about her visit here.

WeSeeHope and the Salvation Army have identified many areas that these communities could benefit with further support on. The support from LiveTwice focuses on:

Emotional and social support concept and Human Capacity Development

Effective application of emotional and social support strategies

Working with children living with disabilities

Managing stress in children

Dealing with loss, grief and mourning

Bereavement counselling

How to encourage sick parents to talk to their children

Facilitation and counselling skills

Use of play therapy

Managing kids clubs

Establishing and sustaining partnerships and linkages

Encouraging community groups to work together and problem solve.

With WeSeeHope we are introducing a community-owned, sustainable model that includes weekly community kids’ clubs, counselling, home visits and community conversations. Volunteers carry out these activities and caregivers, guardians, social workers and local leaders are all drawn in. Young people who benefit from the project are encouraged to become its leaders and help out younger orphans.

The aim of this project is to improve the physical, economic, and social and emotional well-being of at least 300 orphans and vulnerable children and the economic status of 100 households by developing and strengthening the long term capacity of guardians, community members and vulnerable children.

The project has started well and the OVC committees are all established and working well. Initial training has been completed and the foundation for moving forward is a good one.